Atomizer for preparing microscopic slides



W. H. CORBETT .ATOMIZER FOR PREPARING MICROSCOPIC SLIDES Oct. 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1960 mmvrom WILLIAM H. Emma-T.

ATTORNEY.

- Oct. 15, 1963 w. H. CORBETT 3,107,058

' ATOMIZER FOR PREPARING MICROSCOPIC SLIDES Filed Jan, 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. mLLDIM H. DURBFTT.

w BY

AT TORNL Y.

United States Patent Will'am H. Corbett, Somerset, fie, assigner to The De Company, Tole-do, a corporation of Filed .la-n. 7, i963, Ser. No. 1,1358

' Qlairna This invention relates to an atomizer adapted for applying liquid specimens to glass slides for study under a microscope. The invention further pertains to an atomizer designed to restrict cross contamination between specimens.

More particularly, the invention relates to an atomizer using containers and fluid tubes adaptable for disposal after a single use and containers which may be employed as packages for the transport of specimens. While the atomizer of this invention is designed primarily for use in preparing samples for microscopic study, it is also serviceable for applying other materials, particularly where it is desirable to use each container only for the material supplied therein.

Considerable knowledge has been obtained relating to the structure of bacterial cells, tissue, blood cells, fungi, etc. by applying a smear containing the organism upon a glass slide for examination under a microscope. Such a specimen generally is first dried after deposit on the slide. This may be done with the aid of heat at a low temperature. Heat is also utilized to afix the smear to the glass slide. The sample is then stained with various chemical agents to color the components of the substance. Quite recently, it has been found that cancer may be detected by examining smears of sputum, mucus, urine, and other fluids of the body. Samples may be taken during surgery or obstetrics.

For lubricating and moistening purposes, the body cavities and tracts which communicate with the external air, such as the nose, throat, respiratory tract, generative passages, and the digestive system all have, in the epithelium or lining tissue mucous glands containing cells with secretions rich in mucus.

If there is any cancer in these areas, some cancer cells will be shed by the organs in the same manner as normal cells are released and will be carried in the lubricating mucus. It has been found that cancer cells may be de tected even when the cancer itself is so small that it is invisible. Cancer cells may be differentiated from normal cells as they will vary in size whereas normal cells are quite uniform. They also vary in shape Whereas normal cells of a given type are practically identical. The nuclei or" cancer cells are also usually larger than those of normal cells.

The stain employed to color cells to make them visible under the microscope are taken up irregularly by cancer cells whereas normal cells stain evenly. Cancer cells further fail to organize themselves into normal patterns, though there is a tendency to reproduce the tissue from which they originate. However, they do this imperfectly.

The smear test or cytologic method of detecting cancer was first developed by Dr. George Papanicolaou, and it is frequently identified by his name. The standard method and one followed by Dr. Papanicolaou of preparing a smear has been to apply a drop or more of the liquid to be examined upon the glass slide and to spread it in as thin a film as possible. However, there have been ditticulties attending this procedure. These have included injury and disfiguring of the cells in the spreading operation. it has also been found that the cells are irregularly piled up one upon another and their shapes are, therefore, hard to discern.

With these deficiencies, smears may be prepared quite easily, but their examination requires extreme care.

Sometimes, malignant cells may be spotted at once, but often they may be identified only after persistent searching. Only by a thorough scanning of the entire sample can the examiner be sure that none is present. This is necessarily a slow process. Accordingly, the capacity of cytology laboratories has been limited and the smear test has fallen short of universal usefulness.

It is then a prime object of this invention to improve the smear test by providing better slide specimens which may be read more quickly and accurately whereby the smear test may become extensively used.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide an atomizer adapted for spraying a solution or suspension of a specimen in a thin film of uniform thickness upon a glass slide for microscopic study.

it has been found that spray action does not materially alfect the shapes of the cells. It also is inclined to spread them apart, and thus reduce susperpositioning of one cell upon another. Also a very light film of minim-um thickness may thus be applied. This will approach the ideal arrangement in which the film is hardly more than one cell in Cniclmess.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container for the specimen which may be hermetically sealed until the time a portion is to be sprayed upon a glass slide.

it is another object of the invention to provide a container and fluid tube for an atomizer for disposal after a single use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out hereafter in the description that follows and in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

l is a vertical ection of an atomizer container and fluid tube assembly embodying this invention;

FlGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical section of an alternate form of fluid outlet nozzle and closure therefor of the container assembly shown in FIGURE 1;

FI URE 3 is an elevational view of an outlet nozzle of a slightly different design;

FIGURE 4 is a partial elevational View of another form of outlet nozzle and closure;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation with parts in section of an atomizer designed according to this invention with the container asembly of FlGURE 1 attached thereto;

FlGURE 6 is a plan view talten on the line 66 FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view partly in section of an alternate form of container in which an outlet tube is not incorporated;

FiGURE 8 is an elevational view of a separate outlet tube for use with the container of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of a spray device for assembly with the container of FIGURE 7 and the outlet tube of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an elevational view of the assembly of the elements of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 with an a r supply hose and air valve attached to the atomizer;

FIGURE ll is a fragmentary horizontal section, slightly enlarged, taken on the line llil of FIGURE ll); and

FIGURE 12 is a horizontal section taken on the line l2-12 of FIGURE 10.

Referring to the drawings in more detail and first to FEGUR'E 1, the specimen d4 to be tested is placed in the container 15. The container may have a capacity in the approximate range of one to two ounces and is preferably composed of an inexpensive, inert plastic such as polyethylene, polystyrene or polypropylene. A glass container is also satisfactory except for the danger of breakage. The composition should be transparent for viewing the contents. On the top of container 15 is threaded a lid and fluid tube assembly 16. This includes a main cover 18 with a sealing liner or gasket 19 and an outlet noz- Zle 2i) projecting upwardly from the center of the cover.

Qommunicating with the nozzleis a fluid outlet tube 22 depending into the receptacle S5. The outlet nozzle 2% and the sealing liner 1? are also preferably composed of an inert plastic.

The outlet nozzle 2% has a tapered discharge tip 24. This is sealed by a cap 26- which is threaded on the outlet nozzleat 28. Midway of the outlet nozzle, there is a peripheral groove 3% with upper and lower square shoulders 32 and 33.

The outlet nozzle 35, shown in FIGURE 2, does not have a threaded portion, and the closure member 37 for this outlet nozzle is of elastomeric material frictionally held over the discharge tip 38 of this nozzle.

The outlet nozzle 49, shown in FIGURE 3, has grooves 42 to provide a better gripping area for the resilient cap 43. The closure 45 of the outlet nozzle 47, as illustrated in FIGURE 4 is of plastic composition and is applied by dipping the nozzle into a liquid form of plastic and allowing the plastic to harden on the tip of the nozzle. Alternately, this closure may be of a heavier plastic composition, such as a plastisol. A small portion of this may be applied over the tip by hand or by some instrument and may be subsequently set by heat or by a catalyst incorporated in the plastisol.

An atomizer with which the container assembly of FIGURE 1 maybe used is shown in FIGURES and 6. This atomizer has a post-like main body member 50 which has a transverse bore 52. Inserted in the forward end of this bore is a tubular air nozzle 54. To the rear end of the tranverse bore is connected an air supply nipple 56. This has an inwardly tapered outward end 58 for receipt of the connection 66 on the air delivering hose 62.

To the lower end of the main body member 56 is secured a bracket 64. This bracket is held on the body by the action of a cap screw 65 which draws together the pair of arcuate arms (i3 and 5? against the body 5%.

The forward end of the bracket is forked at 71 for straddling engagement with the groove 39 of the outlet nozzle 2i A flat spring 73 is fastened to the bracket and has fingers '75 and 76 which press upwardly against the upper shoulde 32. of the groove and thus press the lower side of the forked end 7-1 of the bracket against the lower shoulder 33 of the groove 36. The spring has sufiicient strength to firmly hold the container assembly with the discharge tip 2 2- of the outlet nozzle 29 in a definite fixed relation to the outlet tip of the air nozzle 54.

in the arrangement shown in FIGURE 5, air delivered by hose 62 is vented to the atmosphere through the vertical passage fit) communicating with the bore 52. When it is desired to operate the atomizer, the laboratory technician or other user places his finger or thumb in closing or partial closing relation over the vertical vent passage Stl. The air is then forced to issue from the tip of the air nozzle 54. This air in conventional manner aspirates the liquid specimen from the container lii and deposits it in finely atomized form upon the surface to be coated, such as the glass slide 82. shown in FIGURE 5. The glass slide is then gently heated to dry and set the thin film of the specimen and is subjected to one or more dyeing agents to color various components of the cells and other organisms which may be present. The nuclei of cells normally absorb a staining agent and may be seen distinctly in contrast with the less responsive protoplasm of die cells.

Another form of atomizer and container adaptable for .use with this invention are shown in FIGURES 7 through 12. The container. 3 has a plain lid 86. This lid may be of a composition sufficiently soft to seal against th rim of the container. If not, however, the assembly may include a sealing washer 33 to act as a gasket between the lid and the container.

The washer 38, if of circular instead of annular form,

may he of a chemically resisting material to shield the lid from contact with the specimen solution. A polyethylene sheet material in a thickness of .030 of an inch serves very satisfactorily. For association with such a plain container, there is a separate fluid tube having a lower extension 92 for reaching down into the container.

Bel w the outlet tip 94 of fluid tube 99 is a groove 96 with upper and lower square shoulders 98 and 10% The spray device for assembly with container 84 and tube 9%, as shown in -FlGURE 9, has a main post-like body member 1592. Air nozzle 1&4 projects forwardly from the body member iri line with an air inlet nipple 1% extending rearwardly from the body.

Where the air low may be easily controlled so to operate the atomizer at will, the venting passage 19% of the atomizer may be closed, as shoum, by the threaded plug Elli.

The fluid tube 9% is held at the level desired by the supporting bracket 112 adjustably fixed to the body memher 192 by the set screw 114.

As shown in FIGURE 11, the forward end of the bracket 112 is slotted at 116 to receive the fluid tube 90. A spring 11% holds the tube in place. The spring is made or" piano wire in loop form bent downwardly and away from its free ends which are secured Within small bores on the legs or" the slot 116 on the bracket 1l2.

On the body lilZ below the bracket 112 is a spring clip 12% for supporting the container 84. This clip, as best seen in FIGURE 12, is held clamped around the body 162 by the bolt 12?. and its associated nut 12 Resilient arms of the clip in opposed pairs 126 and 123 are arcuately shaped to grasp the container dd.

For control of the operation of the atomizer, an air valve assembly llfitl is attached thereto by coupling 132. The valve assembly is shaped to be held by the hand and for thumb operation of the valve opening button 134. A supply hose 136 for delivering air to the valve assembly is fastened thereto by a suitable connection 133.

In the recommended procedure in the utilization of the atomizer of this invention, the container 15 with the lid assembly 16 attached thereto is supplied in any desired quantity to doctors, clinics, or hospitals who may have patients suspected of having cancer.

The container may be furnished with one ounce of alcohol which would half fill the container. The mucus or other body liquid under suspicion of carrying cancer cells is added to the alcohol in the container and the lid assembly is then tightly replaced thereon. The threaded cap 26 or other type of closure for the discharge tip 24 of the outlet nozzle 29 is undisturbed in this initial procedure.

With the container 84, shown in FlGURE 7, the specimen is similarly added to the alcohol vehicle and the plain lid 86 is secured back in place. The microscopic study of a specimen is too technical a job for many doctors and clinics to undertake. Not only may they not have the necessary equipment, but more likely do not have the personnel capable of making the examination and diagnosis. The sealed containers are, therefore, usually delivered to a laboratory specializing in this activity.

larring of the container in handling and shipment encourages spread of the mucus or other body liquid through the alcohol. In most cases there will also be definite settling of the organic material. This permits decanting of the upper half of the alcohol to leave a more concentrated dispersion of the suspected substance.

When preparations are made for spraying a sample on a glass slide, the glass slide is customarily placed in a slightly inclined position and subjected to a gentle heat application. Without removing the closure cap 26, the assembly of the container and lid, as illustrated in FIG- URE 1, may be attached to the atomizer through the engagement of the fork '71 of the bracket 64 with the groove 3% of the outlet nozzle 2%.

The flat spring 73 serves to hold the discharge tip 24 of the outlet nozzle in concise and proper relation to the air nozzle 54. The closure cap 26 or other sealing member, such as one of those illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, is then removed and a very short discharge of air from the nozzle 54 is effected by momentary covering of the vertical passage 80 by the finger of the operator.

A quite low air pressure is utilized in order to create a light and soft spray. The container assembly is then carefully removed and discarded in a manner whereby it will not come in contact with or in any other manner contaminate instruments or other articles by which the cells may be transferred.

Another assembly containing a specimen from a diflerent patient may then be attached to the atomizer for the preparation of a second glass slide. Both the glass slide and the receptacle preferably have a frosted section upon which identification numbers may be applied for record purposes.

The same procedure is followed in using the atomizer shown in FIGURES 7 through 12. However, in this case there is greater possibility of foreign substances getting into the container when it is attached to the atomizer as the lid 86 must first be removed. Also there is more likelihood of some of the specimen getting upon the outlet tip 94 and other parts of the fluid tube which may be touched by the operator when the tube is separately removed.

It may be seen from the preceding that the invention involves not only an atomizer particularly suited for preparing a slide for microscopic study, but also a container for the atomizer which is convenient for receiving a specimen and keeping it heremetically sealed during interim handling and transportation up to the point where the slide is to be prepared.

The invention further provides a container and fluid outlet tube easily attached to an atomizer for temporary use and subsequent detachment for disposal.

The atomizer is designed especially for use in spraying cytological samples, but is also adaptable for applying any material from a disposable container in which the material is supplied.

Various modifications may be made in the embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

For instance, the air supply connection may be at the lower end of the body member 102 and the nipple 106 utilized as a venting opening to be closed by a finger for effecting the spray discharge.

Also, a spring-pressed ball or plunger would be satisfactory for holding the fluid outlet tube within the forked end of the bracket 64. Another alternate arrangement would involve a cap screw for drawing the sides of the fork together against the fluid outlet tube.

1 claim:

'1. An atomizer having a main body member with a passage therethrough for atomizing air, a horizontally directed outlet nozzle for the atomizing air in communication with the passage, a container for material to be sprayed by the atomizer, a vertically disposed fluid outlet tube for receiving material from the container and releasing the material for atomization by air from the air outlet nozzle, and retainer means in the form of a horizontally projecting arm on the main body member constructed and designed to directly and rigidly engage the fluid tube through relative lateral movement of the body member and the fluid tube and to firm support the fluid tube in proper relation to the air outlet nozzle for air from the outlet nozzle to aspirate and atomize material from the fluid tube, said retainer means having a straightsided slot opening in its outer end and there being a short, smooth cylindrical portion on the fluid outlet tube received by and fitting snugly within the slot opening.

2. An atomizer according to claim 1 in which there is a spring carried by the retainer means which is vertically compressed by the engagement of the retainer means with the fluid outlet tube, the tension of said spring frictionally resisting disengagement of the retainer means from the fluid outlet tube.

3. An atomizer according to claim 2 in which the short, smooth cylindrical portion of the fluid outlet tube is bordered by an upper and by a lower square-cut shoulder, one of said shoulders being engaged by and compressing the spring and the tension of the spring thrusting the portion of the retainer means defining the straight sided slot opening against the other of said shoulders.

4. An atomizer having a main body member with a passage therethrough for atomizing air, a horizontally directed outlet nozzle for the atomizing air in communication with the passage, a container for material to be sprayed by the atomizer, a vertically disposed fluid outlet tube for receiving material from the container and releasing the material for atomization by air from the air outlet nozzle, retainer means in the form of a horizontally projecting arm on the main body member constructed and designed to directly and regidly engage the fluid tube through relative lateral movement of the body member and the fluid tube and to firmly support the fluid tube in proper relation to the air outlet nozzle for air from the outlet nozzle to aspirate and atomize material from the fluid tube, and a separate holder on the main body of the atomizer for supporting the container, said separate holder including opposed spring arms adapted to releasably grasp the container.

5. An atomizer having a main body member with a passage therethrough for atomizing air, a horizontally directed outlet nozzle for the atomizing air in communication with the passage, a container for material to be sprayed by the atomizer, a vertically disposed fluid outlet tube for receiving material from the container and releasing the material for atomization by air from the air outlet nozzle, retainer means in the form of a horizontally projecting arm on the main body member constructed and designed to directly and rigidly engage the fluid tube through relative lateral movement of the body member and the fluid tube and to firmly support the fluid tube in proper relation to the air outlet nozzle for air from the outlet nozzle to aspirate and atomize material from the fluid tube, and means for adjusting the vertical position on the body member of the retainer means in the form of a horizontally projecting arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,131 Jackson May 17, 1910 1,357,452 Hall Nov. 2, 1920 1,436,882 Knepper Nov. 28, 1922 1,737,895 Sachsenmaier Dec. 3, 1929 1,914,319 Aronson June 13, 1933 2,066,607 Burgess Jan. 5, 1937 2,252,260 Jones Aug. 12, 1941 2,292,953 McGall et a1 Aug. 11, 1942 2,368,536 Gersmehl Jan. 30, 1945 2,550,404 Chasan et a1 Apr. 24, 1951 2,687,925 Ferrari July 27, 954 2,689,564 Adams et a1 Sept. 21, 1954 2,744,790 White -2 May 8, 1956 2,815,984 Llopis Dec. 10, 1957 2,862,765 Wing Dec. 2, 1958 2,899,366 Nieburgs Aug. 11, 1959 2,992,804 Doran July 18, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 304,495 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1929 771,456 France July 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0. 3 lO7 O58 October 15, 1963 William H. Corbett It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5 line 67 for "firm" read firmly column 6, line 23 for "regidly" read rigidly --a Signed and sealed this 19th day of May 1964 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD 1.. BRENNER.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. AN ATOMIZER HAVING A MAIN BODY MEMBER WITH A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH FOR ATOMIZING AIR, A HORIZONTALLY DIRECTED OUTLET NOZZLE FOR THE ATOMIZING AIR IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PASSAGE, A CONTAINER FOR MATERIAL TO BE SPRAYED BY THE ATOMIZER, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED FLUID OUTLER TUBE FOR RECEIVING MATERIAL FROM THE CONTAINER AND RELEASING THE MATERIAL FOR ATOMIZATION BY AIR FROM THE AIR OUTLET NOZZLE, AND RETAINER MEANS IN THE FORM OF A HORIZONTIALLY PROJECTING ARM ON THE MAIN BODY MEMBER CONSTRUCTED AND DESIGNED TO DIRECTLY AND RIGIDLY ENGAGE THE FLUID TUBE THROUGH RELATIVE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE BODY MEMBER AND THE FLUID TUBE AND TO FIRM SUPPORT THE FLUID TUBE IN PROPER RELATION TO THE AIR OUTLET NOZZLE FOR AIR FROM THE OUTLET NOZZLE TO ASPIRATE AND ATOMIZE MATERIAL FROM THE FLUID TUBE, SAID RETAINER MEANS HAVING A STRAIGHTSIDED SLOT OPENING IN ITS OUTER END AND THERE BEING A SHORT, SMOOTH CYLINDRICAL PORTION ON THE FLUID OUTLET TUBE RECEIVED BY AND FITTING SNUGLY WITHIN THE SLOT OPENING. 